Lasting machines



Sept. 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN 2.736.764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 6 1955 F. c.EASTMAN LSTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.. 28, 1954 [T7/vena?Eea! C Easman Sept. 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN 2,716,764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Tn/vento@ FredCEasmczn SePt- 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN 2,716,764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 nvenzof Fred CEczsman Sept. 6 1955 F. c. EAsTMAN 2,716,764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-'Sheerl 5 Fb'g JA W32 FEED@E E9.. F" 10 6W F j 75555536@ F1914 9i Z T/Lg'j Inf/@nm Hed C'EczsmanUnited States Patent LASTING MACHINES Fred C. Eastman, Marblehead,Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J.,a corporation of New Jersey Application January 28, 1954, Serial No.406,629

22 Claims. (Cl. 12-1) This invention relates to lasting machines and isherein illustrated as embodied in a machine for tensioning successiveportions of a platform cover over a platform as a shoe is fedautomatically, each successive cover portion being secured in lastedposition with an adhesive. The invention is not limited in use tomachines for lasting platform covers, however, it being understood thatin several novel aspects the invention is particularly well adapted foruse in a machine for performing analogous shoemaking operations such asthe lasting of the uppers of conventional types of shoes with or withoutan adhesive and in which the work may be fed manually or by the machineitself.

The common experience in working the tensioned marginal portion of anupper or of cover material into lasted position is to form undesirablepleats, folds or wrinkles in the margin especially as the operationproceeds around the curved end portions of a shoe bottom. No doubt thecharacteristic behavior of different fibers and fabrics as they aretensioned has its effect, as does the direction and the degree oftensioning, the area of each segment being pulled, and the nature of thecontrol exercised with respect to adjacent segments. Various attempts.have been made to provide machines which would minimize or completelyavoid producing the malformations referred to, but so far as I am awareno lasting machine has hitherto been developed which entirely eliminatesthe forming of these irregularities in a lasting margin. It is an objectof this invention to provide an improved lasting machine capable ofsubstantially wrinkle-free performance on upper or cover material, saidmachine to be small, of simple and compact design, and easy to operateeffectively.

With this end in view, and in accordance with various novel features ofthis invention, the herein illustrated machine is provided with agripper for tensioning heightwise of a shoe successive iinite portionsof the stock to be lasted, a member for drawing inwardly over a solemember successive different small portions of the stock while each isheld under tension imparted to it by the gripper, a wiper operative onother successive .small portions of marginal stock as each portion isbeing released from the control of the overdrawing action of said memberto wipe and press it firmly against the bottom face ofthe sole member,and means for independently and continuously actuating the gripper,overdrawing member, and wiper in predetermined time relation. Asembodied in the illustrated machine, these elements respectively actintermittently on a lasting margin, and, in order to exert continuouscontrol over successive portions thereof being lasted, each of thementioned elements is operative for a part of the interval in whichanother of the elements is operative, the two operating elements havinga joint influence on successive portions of the margin being lasted.More particularly, the intervals of operation for each element aresubstantially equal and any two of them have an overlapping orcoextensive period of shoe engagement. For engaging the bottom face ofthe sole member to sup- ICC port it against the tension effected by thegripper and overdrawing member, a shoe bottom rest is provided. Asherein shown, this rest has a serrated horizontal surface arrangedprotectively to engage the margin of the bottom face of the sole memberadjacent to the operating zones of the gripper and overdrawing member.In addition two angularly related and upwardly inclined surfaces of thesole erst, one confronting the gripper and the other extending inwardlyfrom the edge of the sole member for cooperation in a novel manner ,withthe overdrawing member, are arranged to control and progressively topresent with minimum distortion the tensioned. margin of the stock to belasted for favorable performance thereon of the wiper.

As above indicated, the gripper, overdrawingmember, and wipersuccessively operate on small iinite portions of the stock to be lastedthough it is to be understood that preferably the arrangementl is suchthat each portion seized by the gripper is not necessarily the same as,but is adjacent to, the portion frictionally engaged and pulled inwardlyby the overdrawing member; likewise each portion acted on by the wiperis, preferably, not the same small portion as was engaged by theoverdrawing member but is one which is closely adjacent thereto andconsequently is under the tensioning and positioning influence of saidmember. To secure in this manner the benefit of minimum distortion inthe stock being lasted while allowing it to suffer no loss in thetensioning developed by the gripper heightwise and by the overdrawingmember inwardly, the organization afforded' by this invention .providesa minimum of space between the pulling zones and the wiping zone. Thus,in accordance with a feature of the invention, the gripper, overdrawingmember, and wiper are arranged for orbital movement in substantiallyparallel planes and they act on the work to feed it step by step byoscillation in unison about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe.

In the usual machine embodying means for tensioning an upper or covermaterial and for securing it in lasted position the shoe is customarilyfed automatically along step by step by appropriate movement of thetensioning means in the direction of feed while exerting a pull of theupper or cover material. This occurs in the machine of this inventionbut with the distinction that the feeding oscillations of the operatinginstrumentalities are relatively short compared to their movementswidthwise of a shoe and that the angular formation and inward operationof the wiper are relied upon, not only to prevent retrogressive or backfeed of the work but also to provide a positive or forward feedingtendency.

As the respective shoe engaging members of the machine shown herein arereciprocated orbitally widthwise of a shoe during the progressivelasting or upper conforming action, the effectiveness of their shoeengaging strokes is augmented by friction devices. In the case of theover-drawing member and the wiper, which are respectively actuatedinwardly of the shoe bottom by spring-controlled levers to which thefriction devices are applied, the effect of the latter is automaticallyto add to the shoe engaging force afforded by the spring duringoperative shoe engaging movements and to subtract therefrom duringretraction of such movements. In somewhat similar manner, and in a novelconstruction provided by a further feature of the invention, anotherfriction device is provided, which is treadle-controlled by an operator,for acting on a spring-governed grippery jaw-carrying lever. Whilethelatter normally has a component of movement heightwise eiectingtensioning of the cover or upper in conjunction with a cooperatinggripper jaw, it is particularly desirable at times, for example when acover comprises a double thickness of leather (as it frequently may bein the shank of the shoe for areas of slip lasted shoes), to increasethe etective pull of the gripper jaws heightwise of the shoe at selectedareas or for certain upper materials by the application of thefrictional force to the gripper jaw-carrying lever.

The above and other features of the invention, including novelcombinations and arrangements of parts will now be more fully describedin connection with an illustrative embodiment and with reference to theaccompanying drawings thereof, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a machine in which the inventionis embodied, portions being broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on a larger scale of a friction device seenin Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of the machine;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7, respectively, are views in side elevation of thegripper, overdrawing member, and wiper and their independent actuatingmeans;

Fig. 8 is a time chart; and

Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive, are plan views each illustrating the relativeoperating positions of the lasting instrumentalities at 60 intervalsthroughout a cycle, the arrow shown in each view indicating thedirection of feeding oscillation at those instants, and the incllnationsof the instrumentalities to the line of feed being exaggerated moreclearly to show movement of the head of the machine.

The illustrative machine comprises a main frame f (Fig, l) having atubular column for supporting a machine head including a base plate 22which is oscillatory in a horizontal plane about a pivot stud 24 securedin the frame. A pair of spaced upright arms 26, 26 (Figs. 1 and 2)integral with the rearward end of the plate 22 provides bearings for adrive shaft 2S to one end of which a belt driven pulley wheel 30 issecured. The shoe engaging instrumentalities 0f the machine areindividually operated from the drive shaft 2S and consist of a gripperjaw 32, an overdrawing member 34, a wiper 36, and an anvil or shoebottom rest 33. During use of the machine in the platform cover lastingoperation, for example, a shoe (Figs. 9-14) is held by an operatorbottom upward with the edge portion of its bottom face in engagementwith the serrated bottom face of the rest 38 as the shoe is fedautomatically step by step as will hereinafter be explained.

For supporting the shoe rest 38, its upwardly extending stem isadjustably affixed by a setscrcw in a vertical bore formed in the upperend of a bracket 40 (Figs. l and 5) integral with the front end of theplate 22. A rearward portion of the rest 38 is recessed above a lip 42(Fig. 5) of the rest which extends for engagement with the inner side ofa margin M (Figs. 9414) of a cover or upper in proximity to the portionto be tensioned heightwise by the gripper jaw 32, the recess affordingspace for heightwise movement of an arm 44 (Figs. l, 5) provided with anotched gripper jaw 46 that is arranged for cooperation with the jaw 32.This arm is pivotally supported on a stud 4S axed in the bracket 40 andis biased for closing the jaw 46 on the jaw 32 by means of a coil spring50. As indicated in Fig. 5, however, the lip 42 is normally engaged bythe jaw 46 unless the latter is displaced upwardly against resistance ofthe spring by actuation of the gripper jaw 32 to tension the stock. Themargin M of the stock may be readily inserted initially when the jaw 32is retracted from the jaw 46. An edge or side gage 52 arranged to engage the side of the shoe near its bottom is secured to the bracket 40and serves to position the shoe widthwise in the machine as Well asguide successive portions of the marginal stock to be worked into lastedposition.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the respective meansfor orbitally actuating the gripper jaw 32, overdrawing member 34 andwiper 36 will new be described. Confronting upright arms 54, 54 (Figs. 2and 4) integral with the base 22 provide bearing support for avtransverse fulcrurn bar 56 on which three spaced rocker arms 58 (Fig.5), 69 (Fig. 6), and 62 (Fig. 7) are rotat ably mounted. With respect tothe gripper actuating mechanism on arm 64 (Fig. 5) has one end pivotallyconnected to the arm 5S and its other end is mounted on an eccentric 66affixed to the shaft 23. The rocking motion thus transmitted to the arm58 is imparted by it to a lever 63 pivotally mounted thereon and in asplit upper end of which a stem portion of the gripper jaw 32 is xedlyclamped. As seen in Figs. l and 5 a tension spring 7G connecting thebase plate 22 and the lever 68 urges the latter counterclockwise, and aroll 72 secured t0 the bracket 40 is arranged for engagement with thelever to determine the lower limit of its movement. A depending arm 74of the lever 63 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 76 that hasits other end acted on by friction means later to be described. Theoverdrawing member 34 is actuated by mechanism which consists of an arm78 (Fig. 6) having one end connected to the rocker arm and its other endmounted on an eccentric 80 affixed onto the shaft 28. An arm 82pivotally connected at its bifurcated end to the arm 60 by a pin 83(Fig. 3) supports at the other end the overdrawing member 34. lt is tobe noted that a serrated upper engaging surface 84 (Fig. 4) of theoverdrawing member is disposed substantially adjacent and parallel to acooperative surface 36 of the shoe rest 38 and that the surfaces 84, 86are normal to a plane through which successive bottom edge portions ofthe shoe upper or platform cover pass as they progress from thetensioning Zone of the gripper. As viewed in Fig. 4, the surfaces S4, 86are inclined (approximately 45) to the horizontal bottom or rest surfaceof the rest 38 to redirect upwardly tensioned portions of the ma chineback toward the plane of the shoe bottom. ln other words, the surfaces84, 36 are tilted about an axis extending forwardly and rearwardly ofthe machine and adapted progressively to lower the tensioned stock. Atension spring 33 connecting the plate 22 and the arm S2 urges itcounterclockwise and a stop pin 9C fixed in the bracket 4f) projects tolimit upward movement of the arm 82.

For operating the wiper 36 an arm 92 pivotally connected at one end tothe arm 62 has its other end mounted on an eccentric 94 fast on theshaft 28. An arm 96, substantially parallel to the arm 32 and the lever63, is pivotally connected at one end to the arm 62 and carries clampedin its other end the stem of the wiper 36. Pins 98 and 16) affixed tothe bracket 4G respectively limit upward and downward movement of thearm 96 but it is urged counterelockwisc, as viewed in Fig, 7, by atension spring 102. The wiper 36 has a rather small work engagingsurface ilfM (Figs. 9-l4) which, though it is reeiprocated widthwise ofa shoe in time relation to similar movements of the gripper 32 andoverdrawing member 34, is disposed at an angle to the line of feed, i.e. to a tangent to the bottom edge of the shoe in the location where themarginal portion of the stock is be ing wiped inwardly over its bottomface. This angle is;

changeable by reorienting the wiper stern in the arm 96 but ispreferably about 45, to enable the surface 104 to act as a plow whilewiping the stock and thus aid in the feeding movement as will besubsequently' described.

It will be noted in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 that the operating strokes of thegripper jaw, overdrawing member, and wiper are effected during theirrespective movements widthwise of a shoe and toward the left, and thattl jaw-carrying lever 68 has a component of movement upward while thearms 82 and 96 have components directed downward. For augmenting theeffectiveness of the operating strokes of the overdrawing member 34 ofthe wiper 36, friction devices are applied thereto respectively. Adescription of one of these devices (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) will suffice asthey are of like construction and operation. 'Ihe pin 83 is received bya disk 106 that is coupled to the arm 82 by a projection 108, by afriction disk contacting the disk 106, and by a pressure disk 112contacting the disk 110. Three pins 114 having reduced end portions inthe pressure disk 112 are slidable endwise in bores formed in the headof the pin 83 and function to press the disk 110 against the disk 106 toimpede relative turning movement therebetween. The resulting forceapplied to the arm 82 by the projection 108 thus retards pivotalmovement of the arm 82 about the axis of the pin 83. Pressure exertedvia the pins 114 is adjusted to increase or reduce the friction by meansof a setscrew 116 threaded into the pin 83 and bearing on a spring 118having resilient arms engageable endwise with the pins 114.

Controlled friction means tending to strengthen the tensioning grip ofthe gripper jaw 32 operate through the link 76 and the lever 68, thelink being connected at one end to an arm 120 arranged to extend betweencooperative friction applying members 122, 122 (Figs. l and 4), thelower one of which is riveted to a plate 124 suspended by screws 126extending through the members 122 and threaded into the plate 22. Thefrictional drag imparted by the members 122 is initially determined bythe pressure normally exerted thereon by a compression spring 128. Thelatter is in endwise engagement with the underside of a flat leverpivotally secured at its rearward end to the arms 26 and adjustableheightwise more forwardly by means of locknuts 132, 132 threaded on anadjusting screw 134 extending freely through the lever 130 and securedto the plate 22. In order to be able to increase the friction and hencethe power of the grip when lasting a selected portion of a cover orupper the compression of the spring 128 is increased by stepping on atreadle 136. The latter is pivotally mounted on the frame 20, isyieldingly supported by a return spring 138 aixed at one end to theframe, and is connected by a rod 140 to the lever 130.

In order rapidly to oscillate the head of the machine to elfect feedingof a shoe (in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above, Fig. 2)as successive portions of its stock are being worked into lastedposition, a cam 142 fast on one end of the shaft 28 is arranged tocooperate with a cam roll 144 supported on the upper end of a lever 146fulcrumed on a stud 148 secured to the lower end of one of the arms 26.The lower end of the lever 146 is maintained in engagement with anabutment 150 on the frame 20 by means of a compression spring 152abutting one of the arms 54. An adjusting screw 154 threaded through alug 156 formed on the frame 20 engages the spring 152 endwise andassures engagement of the roll 144 With the cam 142 during the return ornon-feeding part of the oscillation of the head.

In operating the machine, that portion of the precemented cover ormargin M rst to be tensioned and worked into lasted position may beinserted between the jaw 46 and the gripper jaw 32. The lip 42 willengage the shoe bottom near its edge and adjacent to the side gage 52.The sequence of operations diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 9 to14, inclusive, thereafter'occurs in each cycle of rotation of the mainshaft 28. These views, when considered in conjunction with Fig. 8,disclose the relative positions of the operating instrumentalitiesthroughout a cycle as controlled by the eccentrics 66, 80 and 94. Withreference to Fig. 8 the respective harmonic curves represent apositively acting portion and a return stroke. The positively operatingstroke is actually effective in each case for less than this is to saythat pulling, overdrawing, or wiping strokes operate on the stock nearlyup to the extremity of inward movement widthwise of a shoe but thatupper engagement or actual effectiveness commences some degrees afterthe beginning of such inward strokes.

As the jaw-carrying lever 68 cornes forwardly the jaw 32 engages afinite portion of the margin of the cover 6 near the edge of the shoebottom and moves upwardly and to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, the roll72 engaging, if need be, the lever 68 to guide the jaw over the lip 42and into cooperation with the jaw 46. The spring 70 acts to tighten thegrip which the jaw 32 effects in cooperation with the notched portion ofthe jaw 46 as the latter is displaced upwardly to tension the stockheightwise of the shoe. Also, the spring 50 functions to the same end inbearing on the arm 44. The eccentric 66 will swing the rocker arm 58 tothe limit of its clockwise movement (as seen in Fig. 5) to carry the jaw32 to its upper limit of tensioning movement and out of engagement withthe notch of the jaw 46, the latter then being free to return to itsposition of engagement with the lip 42. It will be understood thatduring the stock tensioning movement of the lever 68 the spring 128 andthe friction members 122 have, through the arm 120, the link 76, and thearm 74, supplemented the resistance of the spring 70 to clockwisemovement of the lever 68 and hence, in effect, tightened the tensioninggrip on the stock. The orbital cycle of the jaw 32 is completed out ofengagement with the stock as the lever 68 is lowered and retracted. Asthe arm 58 is moved counterclockwise, the friction members 122 effectautomatically a relatively clockwise turning movement between the lever68 and the arm 58 thus maintaining the gripper jaw 32 separated from themargin M, the spring 70 acting to aid in lowering the lever 68 and inmoving the arm 120 rearwardly between the members 122, 122. Had theparticular stock being tensioned required more than normal pullingforce, as where an added thickness of stock is being gripped, theoperator would, for the appropriate interval, step on the treadle 136further to compress the spring 128 and thus impose added frictional dragon the I' arm 120 thereby, in effect, stiffening the spring 70 more rmlyto hold and tension the successive portions of stock being worked intolasted position. Seizure and tensioning of each successive portion ofstock by the gripper jaws 32, 46 occur during oscillatory movement ofthe machine head about the stud 24 and in the direction of feed `(Figs.10 to 13, inclusive), the feeding increment preferably being small, i.e. of the order of approximately lA of an inch.

From Figs. 10, 11 and Figs. 1l, l2 and 13 it will be noted that duringthe effective tensioning movement of the gripper jaw 32 it movesinwardly widthwise of the shoe and is followed inwardly on an adjacentparallel path by the overdrawing member 34, the latter continuing itsinward wiping movement in cooperation with the surface 86 after thegripper jaw 32 has released and been retracted. Accordingly, thetensioning influence of the gripper jaw 32 is at least maintained in thesuccessive portions of the stock to be lasted and the pull may, duringthe inward overdrawing action, even be increased. Another function ofthe overdrawing member 34 results from the inclination of its surface 84and the surface 86 relatively to the shoe bottom; each portion of stockthat has been tensioned heightwise of the shoe is drawn inwardly whilecaused to be disposed at an angle of about 45 from horizontal and in amanner, therefore, to be directed and controlled from the upper level ofgripper tensioning and release to the lower and substantially horizontalplane of the shoe bottom in which the adjacent wiper 36 operates.Overlapping portions of the cycles of the gripper jaw 32 and theoverdrawing member 34 may be considered to operate on one portion ofstock while an adjacent portion previously thus treated comes under thejoint influence of overlapping portions of the cycles of the overdrawing`member and the wiper 36. Viewed in a different way, each successiveportion of the lasting margin M that was pulled heightwise of the shoeis maintained under substantially undiminished tension as it is drawninwardly over the shoe bottom edge and progressively lowered to thelevel of the shoe bottom for final inward wiping action of the wiper 36.The

proximity of the gripper jaw 32, the overdrawing member 34, and thewiper 36 to each other and the small but finite portions of the stockwhich they are respectively adapted to operate upon assure uniformtreatment in smoothly laying over the stock into adhering relation withthe shoe bottom whether the operation occurs along the relativelystraight side of the shoe or at a curved end thereof. Thus, though somenatural distortion, i. e. narrowing, of each iinite marginal portion asit is stretched, is to be expected, this minimum of distortion is aboutconstant and not substantially increased by these lastinginstrumentalities as they relatively traverse the shoe bottom edge.

The work engaging portion 104 of the wiper 36 is shown in Fig. 8 ascommencing its inward wiping action at about 210 in the cycle ofoperations of the machine, i. e. during return of the machine head andnon-feeding movement of the jaw 32 and overdrawing member, theoverdrawing member 34 having preceded and operated effectively inwardfrom about 100 in the cycle to about 270. Consequently, not only is thetensioned margin M maintained under tension as it is drawn inwardly overthe shoe bottom by the member 34, but it is progressively directeddownward by frictional engagement with said member and presented to theoperating level of the portion 104 so that the latter may wipesuccessive portions against the shoe bottom. During the inward wipingmovement of the portion 104 (Figs. 9, 13 and 14) it acts in effect as aplow and, by reason of its 45 angular relation to the line of feed,tends to prevent retrogressive feeding of the shoe, the margin M havingbeen momentarily released by the jaw 32 and the overdrawing member 34and the machine head then swinging counter to the direction of positivefeed. With the wiper 36 having a length of inward wiping stroke of theorder of 37s of an inch, approximately, for example, and assuming afeeding increment of /s of an inch, the relative path of the portion 104on the lasting margin and with respect to the line of feed is at anangle of about SOI/2. Each inward wiping stroke of the portion 104accordingly has a component, due to its angular disposition, which tendsto push the lasting margin in the direction of positive feed andprevents retrogressive movement of the shoe.

The operating cycle is repeated as the lasting operation proceeds alongthe edge of the shoe bottom, and the cover will be stressed over theplatform edge face and the lasting margin M will be pressed firmly intolasted position on the sole member S by the wiper 36. The shoe may belowered from the rest 38 at the end of the lasting and withdrawn fromthe machine. It will be appreciated that a relatively simple machine,easily operated, has thus been provided for securing the stock beinglasted so that it is distributed evenly and smoothly on the shoe bottom,premature adhesion of the tensioned margin thereon being avoided by thenature of the operating path of the overdrawing member 34.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to besecured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for lasting a shoe comprising means for seizing andreleasing successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to belasted and for imparting to each portion a pull in a directionheightwise of the shoe, means movable widthwise of the shoe for drawinginwardly over the shoe bottom and in inclined relation thereto thedifferent successively pulled portions of stock while maintaining eachoverdrawn portion under tension, and means for wiping the successiveportions of the lasting margin against the shoe bottom as they arepresented by said overdrawing means.

2. In a lasting machine, lasting instrumentalities including a gripper,overdrawing member and wiper respectively operative on adjacent andsuccessive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, meansfor moving said instrumentalities heightwise of the shoe and insequential relation, and means for moving the lasting instrumentalitiesin unison about an axis extending height- `wise of the shoe to feed it,said overdrawing member having a margin-engaging surface adapted tocause each of said successive portions, when released from said gripper,to be slanted toward the operating level of said wiper.

3. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe near its marginal edge, means for tensioning heightwise of the shoesuccessive small but finite portions of the lasting margin of stock tobe lasted, means for wiping the lasting margin inwardly over the shoebottom in adhering relation thereto, and an overdrawing member disposedbetween said tensioning and wiping means for operating movementsextending inwardly over the shoe bottom, said member having a surfacefor engaging said successive marginal portions which is disposed at anangle adapted to direct them under continued tension from the localityof their release from said tensioning means to said wiping means.

4. A lasting machine as set forth in claim 3 further characterized inthat said overdrawing member and wiping means are also adapted,respectively, to engage successive small but finite portions of thelasting margin.

5. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe, lasting instrumentalities operable in parallel orbital pathsproximate to one another, means for operating said instrumentalitieswidthwise of the shoe and in sequence so that the effective movement ofone of said instrumentalities in engagement with a portion of the marginof the stock to be lasted overlaps the effective movement of another ofsaid instrumentalities in engagement with an adjacent portion of thelasting margin, and means for automatically feeding the shoe relativelyto said lasting instrumentalities, said feeding means comprisingmechanism for oscillating said instrumentalities in unison about an axisextending heightwse of the shoe.

6. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe, said rest having a surface arranged to extend widthwise over theshoe bottom and with inclination thereto, means for gripping adjacent tothe locality of engagement of said rest with the shoe bottom successiveportions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and for tensioningeach of these portions heightwise of the shoe, an overdrawing memberhaving a surface adapted for cooperation with said inclined surface ofthe rest, means for moving said overdrawing member inwardly over theshoe bottom for engagement with each of the successively tensionedportions of the lasting margin, said member moving means tending tomaintain in each of the portions of the margin being lasted the tensionimparted thereto by said gripping means, and a wiper arranged foroperation adjacent to the lower edge of the inclined surface of saidrestand adapted to wipe successive portions of the overdrawn lasting margininwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom.

7. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe adjacent to its marginal edge, means for gripping adjacent to saidrest successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted andfor imparting to each portion a pull in a direction heightwise of theshoe, mechanism for drawing each of the successively tensioned marginalportions inwardly over the bottom of the shoe while maintaining eachportion under tension, and a wiper for successively pressing theoverdrawn portions against the shoe bottom, said mechanism including areciprocable member adapted and arranged to engage successive portionsof the tensioned marginal stock between the operating localities of thegripping means and the wiper progressively to direct said portions tothe operating level of the latter.

8. In a machine for lasting a shoe having a pair of cooperative gripperjaws for seizing successive portions of the lasting margin of the stockto be lasted and for irnparting to each portion a pull in a directionheightwise of the shoe, a member on which one of said jaws is mountedfor carrying it in van orbital operating path, a spring connected tosaid member for urging said jaw into marginal stock gripping relation,and a frictiondevice associated with said member and under the controlof an operator for augmenting the jaw closing tendency of said spring.

9. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe adjacent to its marginal edge, means comprising a pair of jaws for'gripping and tensioning heightwise of the shoe successive portions ofthe margin of stock to be lasted, a pivotally mounted member by whichone of said jaws is supportedvfor carrying it into and out ofcooperative relation with the other jaw, means yieldably urging said onejaw into gripping relation, power means for actuating said member tomove said jaws heightwise cooperatively in one direction and disengagedin the opposite direction, and friction means operative on the member totighten the grip of said jaws when in cooperative relation and to resisttheir closure when disengaged.

10. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe adjacent to its marginal edge, a guide engageable with the side ofthe shoe and adjacent to said rest, a pair of jaws arranged to gripsuccessive portions of the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted andto impart a pull to each of the portions in 'a direction heightwise ofthe shoe in the locality of `said rest and guide, power means fordriving one of said jaws in lan orbital operating path and into and outof cooperative relation with the other jaw, means yieldingly urging theother of said jaws into gripping relation, and means for wiping thesuccessively tensioned portions of the lasting margin inwardly over theshoe bottom, iirst to draw each of them on an angle relatively theretoand then into adhering relation therewith.

ll. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe adjacent to its marginal edge and means operative to seize adjacentto said rest and tension heightwise successive portions of the lastingmargin of stock to be lasted, a reciprocable wiper, a reciprocableoverdrawing member mounted for movement widthwise of the shoe betweensaid tensioning means and the wiper, said overdrawing member having asurface adapted to engage successive portions of the tensioned lastingmargin to draw each of them inwardly and downwardly against a surface ofsaid rest, said surface of the rest being iriclined downwardly towardthe operating path of said wiper, and power means for drivingl thetensioning means, overdrawing member, and wiper in sequential relation.

l2. A lasting machine as set forth in claim ll further characterized inthat it is provided with spring means for yieldingly urging said wiperagainst the shoe .bottom during its inward overwiping movement, and afriction device arranged to act on said wiper to augment the influenceof said spring means during inward movements of the wiper, and subtracttherefrom during its outward movements.

13. A machine as set forth in claim' 12 further characterized in thatthe machine is provided with spring means for yieldingly urging saidoverdrawing member against said inclined rest .surface during inwardmovements of the overdrawing member, and a friction device arranged toact on said overdrawing member to augment the influence of thelast-mentionedspring means during inward movements of the overdrawingmember and subtract therefrom during its outward movements.

14. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe, orbitally driven lasting instrumentalities comprising a gripperjaw for seizing, tensioning heightwise, and releasing successiveportions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, a member f ordrawing inwardly over the shoe bottom and on an incline with respectthereto each of the successive portions of the margin withoutsubstantial loss in the tension previously imparted, and a wiper forwiping inwardly the successive overdrawn portions which have come underthe influence of said member, a drive shaft having spaced eccentricsmounted thereon, a rockshaft having arms actuated by said eccentricsrespectively, and parallel members for cyclically actuating,respectively, the jaw, overdrawing member, and wiper in sequentialrelation, each of said parallel members being operatively connected tosaid rockshaft arms respectively.

l5. A machine as set forth in claim 14 further characterized in that itis provided with spring means acting on each of said instrumentalitiesyieldingly to urge them into engagement with the lasting margin of thestock to be lasted, and friction devices respectively acting on saidinstrumentalities to modify the influence of said spring means thereon.

16. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of ashoe, a gage adjacent to said rest for engaging the side of the shoe,and lasting instrumentalities comprising a gripper jaw, a wiper, and anoverdrawing member for respectively engaging successive portions of thelasting margin of stock to be lasted, means for orbitally ,operatingsaid instrumentalities widthwise in substantially parallel and adjacentplanes extending heightwise of the shoe, said means comprisingindividually movable holders by which each of said instrumentalities iscarried, and mechanism for moving said holders heightwise of the shoe insequential relation, the gripper jaw-carrying holder having a componentdirected away from the shoe bottom and the other holders havingcomponents respectively di- .,rected toward said shoe bottom.

17. In a lasting machine, a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoenear its marginal edge, lasting instrumentalities including a gripperand a wiper respectively operative on adjacent and successive portionsof the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, means for orbitallyoperating said instiiimentalities heightwise of the shoe and insequential relation to cause each of said portions to be wiped inward atleast partially before the pull of said gripper is released, and meansfor oscillating the lasting instrumentalities in unison about an axisextending heightwise of the shoe to feed it step by step by the pullsiinparted to the margin by said gripper, the increments of feed beingsmaller than the effective portions of the inward wiping strokes of saidwiper.

18. In a lasting machine, a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoeneai its marginal edge, lasting instrumentalities including a gripperjaw, overdrawing meinber, and wiper respectively operative on adjacentand successive portions of the lasting margin of stock .to be lasted,means for orbitally operating said instrumentalities heightwise of Itheshoe and in sequential relation, and means for oscillating the lastinginstrumentalities in unison about an axis extending heightwise of theshoe to feed it step by step by the pulls imparted by said jaw to thesuccessive portions of the lasting margin, the increments of feed beingless than the effective inward wiping strokes of either said wiper or ofsaid overdrawing member.

19. A machine as set forth in claim 18 further characterized in thatsaid wiper is provided with a work engaging surface disposed at an acuteangle relatively to the line of feed to aid in preventing retrogressionof the shoe relatively to said instrumentalities.

20. A machine as set forth in claim 19 further characterized in thatsaid wiper work engaging surface is disposed at an angle ofsubstantially 45 relatively to the line of feed.

21. In a lasting machine a rest engageable with the bot-tom of a shoe,an oscillatory head arranged to swing about an axis extending heightwiseof the shoe, lasting instrumentalities mounted on said head and adaptedto feed the shoe step by step, said instrumentalities coinprising agripper, an overdrawing member, and a wiper, and means for operatingsaid lasting instrumentalities widthwise in substantially parallelorbital paths and in overlapping phase relation successively to `tensionheightwise, draw over and wipe inwardly in adjacent locationssuccessively different portions of the lasting margin of the stock to belasted, said overdrawing member being adapted frictionally to engageeach successive portion of thc stock while pulled by said gripper and toincline said marginal portions toward the shoe bottom, and said wiperbeing adapted to lay the inwardly drawn marginal stock against the shoebottom while preventing retrogressive movement thereof.

22. A lasting machine comprising a plurality of lastinginstrumentalities including a wiper for laying the lasting margin ofstock to be lasted on the bottom of a shoe, and means for oscillatingsaid instrumentalities in unison about an axis extending heightwise ofthe shoe to feed it step by step, said wiper being movable inwardly onthe margin being overlasted and along a path thereon at an angle withrespect to -the line of feed, the wiper having a margin engaging surfacewhich is inclined to said line of feed at an angle smaller than that ofsaid path of the wiper with respect to the margin.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the le of this patent 865,936Pym Sept. l0, 1907 2,607,936 Kamborian Aug. 26, 1952 2,663,035 MillerDec. 22, 1953

